this is a paper originated from Marketing and public programming in records and archives at
Tanzania
Archival institutions hold valuable collections in different forms and formats including
correspondence, manuscripts, reports, and audio visual materials such as photographs,
maps, plans, audiotapes, videos and films. Marketing and public programming are
essential means for increasing the utilization of archival materials. However, many
archival institutions particularly in Africa do not have effective marketing and public
programming through which the general public could be made aware of the unique
archival materials preserved by their state archives. As such, many of these materials are
not utilized fully as evidenced by the low numbers of researchers consulting archives
especially within the eastern and southern African region. The purpose of this paper is to
assess the current marketing and public programming being undertaken by RAMD for
effective promotion of its archival materials. Data was gathered through interviews with
some officers at RAMD, as well as documentary and literature review. The paper reveals
that marketing and public programming activities conducted at RAMD are insufficient and
ineffective as they are only concentrated in particular areas leaving the wider community
unaware of the archival resources and services provided by the department. The paper
concludes by arguing that marketing and public programming remains the key to
promoting and encouraging the use of services provided by RAMD. It is recommended that
RAMD uses the modern information communication technologies to develop its own
website through which archival information about its materials and resources could be
uploaded for the general public’s easy accessibility.